Automatic variable output feeder for shaped knitted articles



G. LEBOCEY 2,182,295

ARTICLES '2 Sheets-Shegt 1 Dec. 5, 1939.

AUTOMATIC VARIABLE OUTPUT FEEDER FOR SHAPED KNITTED Filed Nov. 16, 1936 Dec. 5, 1939. G. LEBOICEY A 2,182,295

AUTOMATIC VARIABLE DUTPUT FEEDER FOR SHAPED KNITTED ARTICLES I Filed Nov. 16, 1936 2,$heets-Sheet 2 17 a die G y pvvmn Patented Dec. 5, 1939 AUTOMATIC VARIABLE OUTPUT FOB SHAPED KNITTED ARTICLES,

Gaston Lebocey, Troyes, France ApplicationNovembcr is, 1936, Serial No. 111,138 In France November 20, 1935 2Claims.

This invention is applicable to circular or flat knitting machines for the manufacture of shaped articles in ribbed or plain stitch, and more parv ticularly to machines for the manufacture of 5 elastic knitted articles, such as: sheath-corsets, belts, corsets. stocking for varicose veins, bathing costumes, in which the shape particularly depends on the more or less important tension exerted on the stitches by one or more elastic threads incorporated upon knitting.

The invention relates to a new yarn feeder automatically controlled so as to ensure the supply of one or more yarns under a variable output or tension.

The device according to the invention is characterised by the following features taken separately or in combination:

(a) A system of feeding pinions, of frustum shape, receiving a predetermined angular speed according to the speed of the machine and to the size of the knitted articles.

(b) A system for guiding the yarn, arranged and automatically controlled for travelling, ac-

cording to any predetermined law, over the en- 25 tire surface or a portion of the feeding cones, in order to ensure at any moment a suitableyam llpply- (c) An automatic device for controlling the yarn guides, actuated either by a circular cam, linear cam, link chain, drum provided with driving cams, stepped cam, or by any mechanical equivalent capable of controlling, by means of a set of suitable levers, the successive positions of the yarn guide along the feeding cones.

suitable arrangement of the guide system ensuring at the desired moment the instantaneous return of the yam-guide to its initial starting position. This arrangement has the important advantage of allowing the continuus manufacture of knitted articles all of which have the same I setting for the same direction of formation of the stitches, .whereas in all systems known up to this day, two successive articles must be either knitted top to bottom or separated by a connection zone. I

(e) A change speed gear, known per se, capable of being controlled either by hand, or automatically, if need be, for allowing to instantaneously adjust the angular speed of the feeding cones without affecting the law of of the yarn-guides.

The following description and the accompanying drawings illustrate, by way. of example, a form'of construction of the device according to (d) In a preferred form of construction, a

displacement the invention, applied to a circular knitting machine of standard design.

Fig. 1 is a partial elevation of a feeding drum and of its actuating device.

Fig.-2 is another partial elevation showing a 5 yam-guide movable along the feeding drum and the device controlling this yarn-guide.

Fig. 3 is a partial section of a detail arrangement.

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the feeder.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the device for driving a pair of feeding members of frustum shape through the medium of a change speed gear comprising conical drums. In this figure, l designates the feeding cone rigid with 15 the driving spindle 3. The cone 2, loosely mounted in its spindle, is held in contact with cone l by simple pressure, so as to ensure the supply of yarn without possibility of slipping. The surface of the cones I and 2 can be striated, fluted, milled or simply covered with a lining sufliciently adherent for ensuring the forward movement of the yarn.

The frustum-shaped pulleys 4 and 5 of the change speed gear are connected by an endless belt 6.- A guide fork member 1, which can be moved by a screw 8 provided with a milled knob or wheel, allows of regulating or correcting the angular speed of the-feeding cones.

The actuation of the system is ensured by a pinion 9 meshing with a crown wheel ll rigid with the rotating unit of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view showing the automatic control of the yarn-guide.

The yarn-guide eye ll carried by a sliding rod l2. guides the yarn l3 opposite the feeding and driving cones I and 2.

The upward movement of the sliding rod I2 is controlled by a scroll cam M, the profile of which varies according to the shape of the article desired. I

According to the form of construction shown by way of example in Fig. 2', the rotation of the cam I4 is ensured by a worm and worm wheel device 15 and IS. A star ratchet wheel ll, rigidlysecured on the shaft ll of the worm, receives an intermittent motion of. rotation under the impulse of a sliding tappet I! carried by a ring rotatably mounted on the machine frame.

A switching counter of standard type (not 50 shown) is provided for putting the sliding tappet l9 out of action in position 20. It will be easily understood that it is then possible to temporarily annul the rotation of the cam for o duringthisperiodoftimeaconstanto oftheiii I down dniovement of the yarn-guide slideblock, according to the profile a b of cam I4, allows of-obtaining the instantaneous return of the yarn guide to its initial starting position.

Fig. 3 is a partial view showing the actuation of .the star wheel I! by the tappet l9.

Fig, 4 is a side view showing another form of construction of the device controlling the yarnguide. A ratchet wheel 2|, actuated by a link and crank device 22 and 23, ensures the rotation of a cam 24, through the medium of a set of gears 25 and 26.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the various forms of construction described by way of examples only. It will be easily seen that the use of a scroll can'i constitutes a simple and practical means allowing to ensure with the greatest accuracy the control of the yarn-guide and the instantaneous return of the latter to its initial starting position, but that use might be made for that purpose either of a link chain, or of a drum provided with driving cams or of a screw actuated by a ratchet, or again of any mechanical equivalent capable of controlling the yarn-guide according to a given law.

Concerning the change speed gear, the latter can be constituted by stepped pulleys, friction plates, gears, etc'., without departing from the scope of the invention.

Moreover, if. the invention is more particularly applicable to the control of an elastic yarn, whether it is used as a warp thread, a weft thread, or as a looped thread, it is also applicable to the control of the output of a yarn in combination or not with an automatic device for controlling sinker cams for manufacturing shaped articles obtained by simple variation of the length of the stitches.

When the elastic yarn is woven, that is to say inserted, or more exactly "confined between the front stitches and the rear stitches of an article in ribbed fabric, certain designs can be obtained nonlifted needles do not take this thread. This results in a modification in the texture of the ground'fabric which allows the elastic woven thread to appear at some places only, this being used for the formation of the designs.

This known method has been carried out up to now by the use of small striated or like pattern wheels, ensuring the upward movement ofthe selected needles.

Now, it is possible to effect the Jacquard selection on a larger scale by means of a Jacquard film device. This apparatus comprising the scroll winding device, allows of obtaining shaped articles made of elastic fabric, such as sheath-corsets, belts, corsets, of a new style owing to the great variety of the patterns or designs obtainable.

On the other hand, it is also possible to manufacture shaped fabrics by insertion of an elastic yarn but with Jacquard fancy patterns in several colours-which are obtained by causing stitches of different colours to appear on the ground fabric. The selection of the needles will be controlled by means of the film apparatus. The articles thus obtained differentiate only from the ordinary Jacquard articles by the insertion of an elastic yarn fed with variableoutput or tension so as to automatically ensure their shaped nature.

I claim:

1. In a yarn-feeder for knitting machines, the combination of rotating conical drums pressed the one against the other and driven at a definite rateby the mechanism of said knitting machines, the yarn being so disposed as to pass between said drums and as to be driven by the latter, and a yarn guide arranged for introducing the yarn between said drums at a determined point, said yarn guide being secured to a vertical rod adapted to slide freely in a guide and to bear freely on a cam with its end which is opposite said yarn guide.

2. A yarn feeder as claimed in claim 1, in which said yarn guide which is secured to a rod, is adapted to slide freely in a vertical guide and to bear freely with its end which is opposite said yarn guide on the periphery of a rotary cam of which the end-of the contour is connected to the beginning of said contour -by a radial portion adapted to cause the free drop of said ,varn guide and the return thereof to the starting position.

GASTON LEBOCEY. 

